Not Twenty Years Later
by Coqui's Song
Summary: Max and Fang find each other in one of the most unlikely places: The local Safeway. Do they get together? Or does Fang push Max away, despite how much he loves her? Spoilers for FANG. Fang/Max or Fax.
1. Safeway

**Okay, so I'm a new fan of Maximum Ride, and I just finished Fang. I started my obsession this summer. I'm a bookworm, and one fine sunny day this summer I had nothing to read. I was at my grandmother's house, and she LOVES James Patterson, and has virtually every one of his books. She has the Angel Experiment, but doesn't have the rest of the series. HOWEVER, I started reading it, and soon, well, I was hooked. So here's my first Maximum Ride fic. Tell me what you think... I'm not sure if I like it... **

**Disclaimer:I don't own Maximum Ride, even though I think it would be TOTALLY AWESOME if I did. **

Not Twenty Years Later...

**Safeway**

**Max's POV**

I lazily walked into the Safeway store. I wasn't buying stuff for Nudge, Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel and me. It was just for me. Angel and Gazzy were in High School, Nudge was in college already and Iggy… Let's just to say the least, he owns a restaurant. To say the most, it was a freaking FIVESTAR restaurant.

I sighed. I walked to the dairy section of the store, and went to get milk. I didn't exactly care what kind of milk I got, just that I got it. I randomly took Whole Milk. I spun around to put it in my cart when I saw a familiar dark figure. I gasped, and the milk dropped out of my hands.

I swallowed nervously. This can't be Fang, part of me said. He said to meet you in twenty years. It hasn't even been ten. No, this is just a guy who looks like Fang. Yeah. Just a coincidence, Max. Don't overreact.

_Is it really a coincidence, Max? Are you _sure_ it isn't Fang?_ The Voice asked.

_Shut up, Voice. I'm kinda trying to figure this out on my own, okay? _

The Fang-like figure whipped around at the sound of my gasp. He blinked at me calmly and grinned a little. "Fang?" I asked tentatively, quietly, as if afraid that if I said his name too loudly he might disappear.

His smile got bigger. "Max," he said. "You look well."

"Thanks, you too." I had no idea what to say after all these years without seeing him. But it felt really good. "It hasn't been twenty years yet," I said.

"No," he said, still grinning in the way that it was brighter than the sun's rays.

"But I'm kinda glad that it hasn't been twenty years yet." I looked at my sneakers.

"Yeah," he said, and reached down to pick up the gallon of milk I'd dropped and put them in my cart.

"Thanks, but you know I would've done it myself."

"Not with that look on your face."

"I've missed you, Fang." I blurted. I'm not the most emotional person in the world, but being around Fang after so long was 1) really weird in a good way and 2) mixed my feelings so I had no idea what I was thinking, let alone saying.

Fang looked away. "Me too."

We both were really awkward together. I'd opened up first, because, well, though both of us are stoic and sort of not emotional, I guess I'm the more emotional one of the two of us. Fang shifted his feet restlessly.

"Where are you staying?" I asked.

Fang shrugged. "The woods."

"The _woods?_ Fang, you know you can come over to Mom's house. She'd tell you where I live, and you could stay with me."

_Or he could have, you know, stayed at a hotel. _Said my Voice.

_I thought I told you to shut the hell up! _I thought.

_It would have been easier and he'd have spent less time on it._

_Shut up, shut up, shut up!_

"I…" Fang began, but never finished. I blinked in surprise. Fang was never at a loss for words. He just, you know, never says much. And, yes, there is a difference. Think about it.

"So you're at the woods huh?"

"Yep," he said.

My breathing and heart rate were fast, well, faster than usual. I swallowed. My palms were sweaty. I could feel them. I rubbed them nervously on my jeans. "Right. So do you need help or anything? You know, um, getting the groceries back to where you're camping?"

"No, it's okay. You?"

"Sure. I got a lot of stuff."

"For Angel and Gazzy?" His eyes lit up with the hope of seeing some members of our ex-flock.

"No, just me. Angel and Gazzy live at my mom's. They go to High School now."

Fang stared at me for a moment before answering. "Sure, I'll help."

Look, it's not that I had a ton of stuff. I had a lot of stuff, sure, but not like TONS. I had a secret reason to why I wanted Fang to help me. I wanted to keep talking with him. I wanted him to stay at my house as long as he wanted.

I paid for the stuff- mine _and_Fang's. He fought against it, he didn't want me to pay, but I had more money. I had a job, and I had no idea what Fang was doing out here, what kind of career he had. By the way he was dressed, it told me he had mucho less money than me.

We flew to my apartment. I had a car, but I didn't take it to the Safeway because I wasn't going to buy that much anyway.

The wind whipped my hair around. I closed my eyes, feeling at peace. Just being with my old right-wing man felt right. I sighed.

Once we got there, I took out my key and opened the door. "Just put the stuff in the kitchen." I told Fang.

He nodded and went in. I followed him and put down my stuff. Fang looked around. "Well… see you, Max." he started for the door.

"What? Wait, Fang! Where are you going?" I said, running after him.

He shrugged. "The woods, where I'm camping."

"Don't go." I said softly. "Please. Stay here."

Fang looked at me up and down. He lingered on my face. "Why?" his voice was quiet.

"Because," I said, "I don't want you leave. Not yet."

_More like not ever. _The Voice said.

_Will you ever shut up? _I asked it silently. Guess what? It didn't answer. So I took it as a yes.

"Max," he said gently, actually reaching out and stroking my face tenderly, "I have to go. If I don't go, I'll never go."

"Then stay. It's better than leaving and seeing me again ten years from now, let alone the possibility that we'd be dead." I knew I was rambling on like Nudge, but I was trying everything, anything, to get him to stay just a little longer.

"If we were dead by then, at least we'd see each other in Heaven." He whispered, stepping closer to me.

"How do you know? There are so many people in Heaven…"

"Here," he said, interrupting me. "I'll do something both of us want to do."

The hand he'd been stroking my cheek with slid back, and he used his other hand to hold my other cheek and kissed me. My mind still shorted out whenever he did that, but I quickly closed my eyes, not wanting this moment to stop, and instinctively threw my arms around his neck. I felt like this would go on _forever_. And I absolutely loved it.

Oh, Lord, this was so, so _good_. I hadn't had that Fang taste for so many years; I'd forgotten what kissing Fang was like until now. And now here he was. And I realized I'd never stopped loving him. _I love you, Fang._

Fang broke away for a moment. "I love you, Max. But I gotta leave."

"If I kiss you again, you never will." I whispered and kissed him again.

He didn't fight it. He just held me close, kissing me as I kissed him. He broke off again to take a breath. "You were right. I can't leave now." And kept kissing me.

Man, I haven't kissed him in so long; I've missed feeling like this. I haven't seen Fang in forever, but I still loved him like I used too, possibly even more.

**So, how did you think of it? Coqui asked anxiously. **

**I'm a sort of new fan to Maximum Ride, and so I'm not too sure about if I kept them- especially Fang, whom I find hard to write, in character. I think Max's and Fang's love for each other is extremely deep, especially Fang's. I wrote this because the plot bunny simply wouldn't leave me alone. During school, while I was supposed to be asleep… Please review, because Coqui was simply so *yawn* bothered by the stupid plot bunny *yawn* that she couldn't sleep!**

**~Coqui's Song **


	2. Letter

**Hi, again! Next chapter! And thank you to my reviewers, especially daughterofathena7. It's so sweet how you think I'm as good as James Patterson! Because I think I suck. Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to you, my friend!**

**Mine**

**Fang's POV**

I woke up. I felt the usual burst of anxiety as I opened my eyes and gasped. Where was I? Then I remembered my dream. Max. Max had been there. Did that mean I'd see her soon? I hoped not. If I saw her, I wouldn't be able to leave. I tried not to think about how Max had asked me in my dream why I hadn't let her know I was in the area. The reason was… I didn't want to see her, even though I was breaking my heart myself doing it by throwing it on the marble floor of my mind and stomping mercilessly on it. Needless to say, it hurts a lot.

My head whipped around the room. I was in… an apartment. Wait. Max lived in an apartment in my dream. And it looked just like this one. I frowned thoughtfully. That didn't make sense. Unless… Maybe you're still in the dream, I thought. Yeah, that makes sense. A lot of sense.

The only reason I was convincing myself of this was because part of me wanted to be in this dream, where I could kiss Max all I wanted, where we could be together forever. But part of me didn't. What's the use of having something if you can't have it forever?

Slowly, I pinched myself on my arm, hard. I flinched, a little bit of pain registering in my mind. Ow. Not a dream. That means this is real. I met Max yesterday at that Safeway. Which meant I really had gone to her apartment and kissed her. Which meant… I closed my eyes and covered myself with bed sheets to think.

My heart was pounding. I'd met Max again. I'd found her. How? Why? I didn't even know why I came here to Arizona. I _knew_ Max would be here. I guess part of me thought I'd never run into her. Well, I did. And all heaven and hell had broke loose. Yes, both of them. Heaven and Hell.

I needed to leave soon. I couldn't take the chance that Max would wake up. If I saw her today, I wouldn't have the heart to leave. I just wouldn't.

I carefully, quietly, just like I'm good at, slid out of the bed and put on my clothes. I found a pen and some paper and wrote a note to Max, who was still asleep on the bed, smiling in her sleep, looking like an angel. She must be really happy I came back, I thought. Too bad I'm leaving again.

_Sorry, Max. _

_ But I had to leave. I woke up this morning thinking the whole thing that happened yesterday was a freaking dream. I needed to leave before we stayed with each other… forever. _

_ Look, don't take this the wrong way. I love you, Max. I can't even think about having another girl. You're the only one for me. Remember: You're _my_ Maximum Ride. Only mine. _

_ I'm sorry, Max, but it's just too painful. I HAVE to go. Have to, have to, have to. I'm obligated. I don't want to leave, but I have to. So see you in about ten years. _

_ And ONE other favor, since I know you too well and know you'd do this: Don't try to follow me. Don't try to find me. When I leave today, it'll be the last you see of me until ten years from now. And if we happen to die before that time, like you said, well, at least you get to see me for four months, alive, before I join you. After all, people with wings attached to them do go to Heaven too. _

_Yours, utterly and truly, _

_Fang _

_PS: I love you, Max._

I hadn't planned on writing so much. It just escaped out of my mind and poured out of me. I reread what I'd written and sighed. Why couldn't I just say things like this to Max's face? I loved her, right? So why couldn't I say it thirty times a day like normal people do? Oh, right, because I'm _not _a normal person. I'm, as Max liked to call it, Avian-American. I have freaking _wings_.

I remembered, a long time ago, I written Max a note like this one. I'd stated almost the exact thing, I thought as I reread the note. Hm. Déjà vu. Whatever, I thought, I'll see her again. I know it. Know it in my heart and soul. I left the note on her pillow, blew an air kiss to her, and left.

**So, so, so sorry that it was so, so, so short, but that was all I could write. You see, Coqui's terribly busy with all her homework in High School! And so this was all I could muster. Anyway, I know I absolutely SUCKED at the letter, but I just want to get the story moving. Love it? Like it? Hate it? Review! Because the faster you review, the faster you get Max's POV in the next chapter! And you know I love fast!**

**daughterofathena7: Thank you so much! Again, it's really nice of you to say that, and I'm glad I kept them in character. Really appreciate that you say it's perfect. THANKS again!**

**~Coqui's Song**


	3. Day to Day Stuff

**Thank you to my awesome reviews from VivaLaKatee! VivaLaKatee, to answer your question, in the end of FANG, doen't Fang's letter say to Max for her not to follow him because he didn't want to see her again because it would be too difficult for him to leave? Same deal. He's breaking his own heart by doing this. **

**But this chapter is in Max's POV. **

**Max POV (in case you didn't notice, I'm switching POV's every other chapter)**

**Day-to-Day Stuff**

I blinked awake, smiling. "Fang?" I asked softly. I frowned as I didn't hear an answer. "Fang?" I said a bit louder. No answer. I whipped my head around frantically. Where was Fang? He was here when we fell asleep, and I always wake up before him. Then I saw it. A letter. From Fang.

I grabbed it and read it. _Sorry, Max, but I had to leave…._ I read the whole letter, and as soon as I finished, I felt angry tears burn in my eyes. I couldn't believe Fang left _again_! I almost teared up the letter when I remembered that it was Fang's handwriting. Fang's. No way would I tear up a letter written by Fang, even if it broke my heart. I snarled silently, then figured, this time, he wouldn't get so far away from me. I'd find him, even if he didn't want me to.

"Ugh! I _hate_ you!" I said to Fang, even though he wasn't here. And really, I meant the exact opposite of what I was saying. "I hate you, Fang!" Then I stood up.

I quickly got ready, brushing my teeth, having breakfast, taking a swift shower, packing a backpack full of food, being grateful that I'd gone to Safeway yesterday, instead of having to take a pit-stop to refuel. I looked around. It was ten in the morning. After biting my lip, I called my mom, Dr. Martinez.

"Mom?"

"Oh, hi, Max!"

"Yeah, I won't be able to come today. I… I sort of ran into Fang yesterday and he ran off today. So I'm gonna go find him." I said, anxious to get moving. The longer I stayed, the farther Fang got from me, and the more time it would take me to find him.

I could picture my Mom frowning in thought. "Hmm… well, Max, when will you get back?"

"I don't know. But I just have to go find him, Mom."

"All right. I understand. Now go find Fang, Max! And don't come back without him!"

"Okay, Mom. And besides, I don't plan on coming back without him."

"That's my girl! Now go!"

"Okay, Mom. Thanks. Bye." I hung up the phone and flew out the door. And I do mean _flew_.

Once I was out and flying, I thought, okay, not so bad. I've got raptor vision; I can see things from way off. Now, Fang said he was camping in the woods… odds are, he went there to refuel and pack up before flying out again.

I frowned. Maybe Fang wouldn't stay tonight in the woods though. Maybe he'd be someplace else. Maybe he'd go to a hotel. No, no. The woods were my best bet, and I sort of knew he'd be there. Like maybe my heart was leading me to him. Weird.

I took a deep breath and sighed out the exhale.

"Here we go," I muttered to myself, then flew toward the woods. Once I got there, I landed and shook my wings a bit. I carefully looked around, trying to see if Fang was near here. Green-leaved trees swayed in the wind. The occasional squirrel bounded up a tree. Nope. No Fang.

I looked for a few hours, calling his name sometimes, and by then I was getting hungry. I sighed in regret. I'd really rather be looking for Fang, but a little voice in my head that was not the Voice but sounded like Fang told me I should eat. I'd be no use if I was weak with hunger. Stupid Fang logic.

I took off the backpack and set it down on the ground. I frowned as I rummaged for food in there. I wasn't going to picky, I decided. I took out some crackers and munched on them as I continued to look. I gazed up at the sun; it was going down, and it'd be dark soon. Fortunately I didn't only have awesome raptor vision, but I had a flashlight. "Fang, Fang? Where are you?"

After a few minutes of me doing this, I was extremely miserable. I was completely alone in the woods, looking for the one and only love of my life, and I didn't even know if he was here. It was only instinct that told me that he was here. Well, I don't know if you know, but sometimes instinct is wrong. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I yelled in frustration, kicking a log with as much force I could muster. I swore as the pain registered in my mind. But it hurt much less than the gaping wound in my heart Fang had left stabbing me with the words of his letter. "Fffffffang!"

I sniffled, then trudged on. "Fang? Faaang?"

It took me a couple more hours to realize this was stupid. I could fly, for Christ's sake! I took off, looking around for a fire that would mean Fang. I sighed. Nothing. Just when I was about to start a camp myself, to try again tomorrow, I saw a little flicker of dark orange light. I squinted. Yep. A fire. I landed about a quarter mile from it, and I carefully, not making a sound, walked toward the flickering glow of the fire.

**CLIFFY! Is it Fang? Or just some weirdo freak, like me? Nah, I'm kidding. I'm not a weirdo freak, just a weirdo. Or a freak. Your pick. I pick neither; I'm just insane! *maniacal laughter* I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but I rarely do them, and this was the perfect opportunity. So I did. I'm EVIL! *evil laughter* So review! And if you're good little reviewers, you get another chapter!**

**And again, thank you to reviewers! I luvs you all! **

**~Coqui's Song**


	4. Singing in the Rain

**Okay, I LOVE making you suffer with cliffhangers, but I also don't like to make you suffer too much. And because I'm in a good mood today, you get a new chapter! **

**Thank you to my reviewers, daughterofathena7, Anonymous, Don't Shoot The Puppy, and Flowerchild22.**

**Song of the chapter: _Secrets by One Republic_ OR _Year Without Rain by Selena Gomez and the Scene_**

**Singing in the Rain (well, not exactly _singing_…)**

**Fang POV**

I heard a crack that wasn't the fire. I whipped my head around, doing a 360 of my surroundings. Nothing. I looked back at the fire, twirling my hotdog-on-a-stick. Suddenly another crackle came again, along with the sound of crunching leaves. I shot up from my seat, did another 360 and called out, "Who's there?" I walked toward the sound, looking closely with my raptor vision.

The cracking leaves got more rapid. The person was running. Well, they had another thing coming. I pushed harder, running faster. It took some time, but I finally caught up to him. Or rather, her. I grabbed her wrist and tugged it back hard. I was about to snarl, "Who are you?" When I saw. She'd been turned completely around by my pull, like we'd been dancing or something.

I made out long brown hair, dark brown eyes, fair skin, tall and _winged._ No question about it. It was Max.

"Max," I said, "What are you doing here? I told you not to follow me."

"You never _told_ me anything." Came her sharp reply.

"But I _wrote _it. Jeez, Max."

"I don't have to do anything you write or tell me. Besides, this is America, and it's a free country."

"Does that mean that there are no rules in the free country?" I asked.

Max opened her mouth to reply, but didn't say anything.

I smirked and turned around so I wouldn't meet her eyes. "Max, just- just leave. Please." My voice threatened to break, and I really didn't want that.

"No, I don't think I will."

"Yes, you will."

"No, I won't."

"Yes, you will."

"No, I won't."

This continued for about ten minutes while we walked. I stopped a little ways off the camp and said to Max, "Why did you follow me?"

She shrugged. "Because I wanted to."

"But _why_?"

She glared twin daggers at me, then said softly, "Because I didn't want you to leave me again. Remember after Ari died, you said we wouldn't split up again." She shook her head sadly.

I looked down at the ground. "We broke that promise many times, Max. One more won't make a difference."

This made her a bit more annoyed. "Yes, it does, Fang! It does… to me."

I looked away. "It was better for the flock that I leave." I whispered gently. _But not better for us._ I thought. "Don't you know how hard this is for me, Max? Every time I do this it gets harder. And my heart breaks more."

Then it started raining. Not hard, a light shower, really, but getting harder by the minute.

Now she really got angry. Her fists were clenched, and her face was red. "And mine doesn't? I suppose you think it's rainbows and gumdrops for me. No! My heart breaks each time you leave, too."

I was silent. She was really hurt. I tried to hug her but she backed away.

"Listen, Fang. All my life it was, take care of the flock, be safe, find food for them.' Everything was for them. _Everything._ I figure now it's time for me to be at least a little selfish. Just a little." Her voice started cracking and she blinked not only the rain but her tears from her eyes before continuing. "And you're… you're the only one I could be selfish with."

Max was never one to cry. She was the toughest person I knew. But now she started bawling so hard the rain felt like it was coming from her. I stepped forward and hugged her, and this time she didn't move away. I rocked her gently, rubbing her backside in between her wings they way she liked while she sobbed on my shoulder. I nuzzled her head, smelling her hair. It smelled so good, like citrus fruit.

"Shhh," I said, "Shhh. Look, Max, it's okay. I'm here now."

She looked up, her eyes red from crying. "But you're going to leave."

I shook my head. "No, Max. I promise I won't. I figure I can be a little selfish too." I grinned one of my rare grins, and leaned in and kissed her. She kissed back.

By now, the rain was pounding really hard. I didn't care. I was lost in the kiss.

Have you ever kissed in the rain? I have now. When we broke apart, we were soaked to the skin, but impossibly happy. And we kissed again.

Kissing in the rain is the best thing in the world, especially if it's with the one person you truly love, like me with Max.

**So we all agree that I SUCK at writing fluff, right? Sigh. What is wrong with me? I love, love, love writing fluff, but I suck, suck, suck at it. Yes, I have self-esteem issues. (Not really) Sometimes I'm really modest, saying I suck, but sometimes I keep saying I'm awesome and all that. But doesn't everyone? Don't worry, I'm not THAT sensitive, though... after all, I keep saying I'm awesome, right? So review if you want the next chapter, and yes, there will be one. Maybe just two more though. I don't want this to be really long. Don't sigh, it might be a little longer!**

**daughterofathena7- I KNOW, right? Insane peoplez are awesome!**

**Flowerchild22- they are twenty-five years old in this.**

**Don't Shoot The Puppy- don't worry about me. Nobody else does. And by the way, I checked out your profile. Dude (are you a dude?), you shouldn't say that you're worried about ME. Because I'm more worried about YOU. AND I'm not a dude. I'm a girl.**

**Anonymous- Thank you! Hoped you liked this too!**

**~_Coqui's Song_**


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